Darker ILY Theories: the Shinae + Gun Kim theory
The time has COME. I keep telling myself to write this post but I keep putting it off because honestly, this one makes me feel sick. I’ve been talking about it again with friends while rereading the Black and White Formal arc, and in light of the current FP episode (232) I think it’s time to bring this one back into the fray.
As a big disclaimer this post deals with sexual assault noncon theories of underage girls.
Sometime ago I read a theory that Shinae was at the formal for Gun Kim. There’s been so many theories about the formal. Even recently, there’s been talk about the way Yui had Shinae style her hair seeming similar to how Nessa wore hers, and how she insisted that Shinae meet her husband. I don’t think by any means that discounts this theory at all, because Yui sure knows how to multi-task doesn’t she.
The Kim formal really set up a LOT of story and action. It’s the moment ILY reveals what kind of story it is - not that there weren’t hints and clues before, because we could already see the discord in Nol and Kousuke’s relationship’ the stress in Shinae’s life and her fight with her father; the money struggles; her friends. But the formal introduced so many elements. It showed us how off Alyssa and Nol’s relationship is. It showed us how sinister Yui really is. It fully introdduced Sangchul and how lecherous he is. The Chess theory, the manipulation, the drugs, all of it was at the forefront finally.
And also, we met Gun Kim.
Gun is interesting, because he’s the character we know the least about at this point - and his eyes are always closed. He’s always felt sketchy, even as far back as the black and white formal itself. The characters even comment on it. What is someone who looks like Shinae doing at this formal? Mr. Kim likes all women.
Now that we know how chummy the Kims and Yui/the Hiraharas are, the more sinister it feels. Gun Kim, with his several connections to media conglomorates. Gun Kim, whose father* stepped down from his position as CEO of Hirahara Corp due when facing several sexual assault charges. Gun Kim, father to Sangchul Kim whose prep school has been rife with sexual abuse cases.
(* presumably Gun’s father. Youngchul Kim. Sangchul Kim. It checks out)
At the time, maybe he didn’t seem SO bad. A negligent father. A womanizer, a playboy. But in light of what we’ve learned, I think we can revisit the scene and find some clues laid out, waiting for their time to come.
He makes his grand appearance - convincing the bartender to give underage girls alcohol. Even without the later context, this is terrible, but now that we know what we know.... it feels even more skeevy, even more dangerous. Letting young girls drink, get intoxicated, so that they’re easier for him. Ugggh.
He sure makes himself real comfortable with the girls, too. Sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this. What a gracious host. But we know better. And we also know you don’t put your hands on people who don’t even know you. Seeing Alyssa’s face, you wouldn’t ordinarily think anything of her smile mask; she uses it all the time, why would this be any different. But in light of ep 232.... I’ll try to save all my 232 posts for the end so I can put it under a readmore and avoid spoilers.
Isn’t it weird, that he can instantly recognize Shinae? Oh sure, maybe it’s because someone who doesn’t know who he is isn’t from this world, so she has to be Yui’s special guest. And look, Yui and Gun are business partners. Friends, even, since Sangchul seems to know so much about Nol and his family via Gun. Through who else would they know about Nol and his not-much-of-a relationship with Alyssa? So, surely Yui has told Gun about Shinae, since she’s the topic of Kousuke’s interest, right?
But no, I feel horribly, uneasily certain that Yui has shown Gun pictures of Shinae, described her to him, maybe even told him how much fun she is. How she’s got so much personality, that he’ll just enjoy her. Even typing this makes me feel ill ugh. The thought that Gun and Yui are in cahoots not simply by way of business but by way of an even darker, more sinister business is fucking horrifying.
So not only does he instantly recognize her for who she is but
Is it wrong to pay her a compliment? It’s not like he said anything inappropriate. And yet. And yet Shinae is uncomfortable. And yet he is a stranger, a man she doesn’t know, acting too friendly, someone who already knows of her. Danger, danger, danger, danger!
This man gives me the creeps SO MUCH and it’s everything about THIS. His expression, those closed eyes, something about him feels smug and smarmy. Everybody gets drink, everybody gets inebriated, everybody gets to have fun. He’s gross, he’s disgusting, he’s encouraging drinking. We know what kind of fun a man like him wants to see and have.
And he’s not simply enabling underage drinking.
Even after Nol expresses that he doesn’t want a drink, he’s still pushed to have one, still expected to be “respectful of the host”. The host who is pushing alcohol on minors!!! Like, even on its own that’s clearly beyond irresponsible, because you can definitely get the sense that he wants to see what happens when a bunch of kids loosen up, when they all let down their inhibitions, when they all get sloppy and start making mistakes. Like, let’s not pretend otherwise. He wouldn’t be encouraging the drinks at all if he didn’t want something to happen, if he wasn’t hoping for that to transpire.
Like, really mull over that for a moment.
The word choice that’s used here is important, both for the things said and unsaid. Kousuke and Nol may have met Sangchul for the first time, but they’re not stranger to Gun I’m sure. I can’t imagine this is the first Kim formal they’ve had to attend, and even if so, everyone in attendance seems to know Gun’s reputation. Sangchul is one of six children - but only one of two from the same woman. How many women has he been married to? How many more has he simply been with?
And how many of them young. Or against their will?
Sangchul didn’t learn his tactics from no one, let’s not forget that.
Sangchul only knows coercion, bribery, blackmailing, manipulation. If you’ve got a hot girl, you must’ve ha to force her hand, must’ve had to black mail her to get her to agree. It could never be as simple as a girl just liking him, no. It must be some seedy, skeevy, manipulative tactic.
Sexual assault runs in the family. Sangchul learned from watching his father, who no doubt learned from Youngchul. When you see women as property, as items, you don’t see them as people. Even if she refuses, they’ll get what they want in the end, won’t they? UGH.
Kousuke and Nol react in surprise - alarm - because the implications of his wording is creepy. Nol knows Shinae is being forced to attend this formal, she’s not here of her own volition and wouldn’t even accept his offer to safely get her out of there. He probably wonders exactly that - is that why she’s here? And he’s possibly not entirely incorrect.
Yui sweeps in to note that Gun isn’t being so literal, but we know how those two operate. I think as readers we are meant to read into that. It’s not there just for the boys to become alarm, it’s there for us to understand that Gun is not a safe man for Shinae to go alone with. Especially because as readers we already know Shinae feels off, she’s having a drink, AND the episode has quietly informed us that Sangchul roofied her.
And this man comes sweeping in, calling Shinae a cutie, promising to introduce her to everyone.
Even in her addled state, Shinae knows there’s something weird about the use of family, but she’s dazed (she’s drugged), she isn’t feeling right in the head, this whole event has been a nightmare for her so far, she’s being thrown into situations she’s ill-prepared for, so it’s so easy to gloss over it.
But the text emphasizes it itself.
It IS weird.
This is ALL weird.
Does this not make you feel disgusting? Does this not make you want to scream? He’s talking like she’s a pony or something. A grown man parading a minor around, talking about how she’s a cutie, everything is so perfect, her dress - which is modest only in the front and leaves her whole back and parts of her waist bare - everything. And the question about is she your new wife?
How many other pretty young things has he paraded around like this.
How many other pretty young things has he wed? And how many of them were forced against their will, bribed, manipulated? What did he hold over their heads?
I don’t have to spell it out. We know. We all know.
Look at Gun with his eyes closed, that stupid smile on his face. What was it quimchee said of why Mr. Kim’s eyes are always closed? Living is easy with eyes closed. He can turn a blind eye to anything, he can encourage anything. Was the drink too much, he wonders. Was she feeling unwell, he muses. Oh well, it doesn’t matter, my son has her. :)
Gun Kim is no fool. He’s not naive. He is a horrible, vile man and he knows exactly what he was doing, sending an unwell girl who was previously drinking underage off to “rest” with his creepy, vile fucking son.
But Ashlie, you’re asking. I thought you said that Shinae is at the formal for Gun, but he knowingly sent her off in that state with his son, surely knowing what kind of horrible thing he’ll do to her. If she’s for him why didn’t he take her?
He’s the host, of course he can’t take her anywhere yet.
She’s the after party.
jfkafjkfakjfajkafjkafj GOD that felt gross to write I’m sorry but I just KNOW that’s his line of thinking, I just KNOW that’s what this was supposed to be. Everything went awry when dick-punched Sangchul and escaped.
We know well enough now that the Kims are just as vile and atrocious, that they breed a special kind of especially horrible violence, that sexual violence is NOTHING to them - perhaps even fun. The way Sangchul needled Nol about Alyssa makes me so sick, because it tells you everything about how he views and treats women, the kinds of things he, too, has probably done.
All I can think of now is that Yui and Gun are in on this. Of course they are, this is their sleazy empire. Business partners that go further back, deeper than we ever realized. Yui, who has no qualms about playing with peoples’ lives, who gets a thrill out of breaking people down, out of their misery. Gun, who thinks girls and women are ripe for the picking, who enjoys a nice pretty young thing? UGGH UGH UGH death wouldn’t be enough punishment. Prison wouldn’t be enough. NOTHING that happens to them will ever be satisfying enough but GOD I WANT TO SEE THEM TOPPLE AND FALL.
Spoilers for ep 232 ahead:
I think we can already see how this ties in to the current FP episode, right?
I had absolutely NO idea he was this close. Like... I’ve worried about his connections to media conglomerates, I’ve worried about the women he’s been with and how Sangchul learned that behavior, but to see him on the other side of the door of the bathroom in which Alyssa is hiding.... horrifying! The way he calls her sweetheart like he’s some placating father, except we know better. The expression on her face when she hears the girls talking about her but worse, when she hears Gun ask if she needs any help.
It’s her body language when she finally comes out, so meek and small, arms held close to her body like she’s trying to take up as little space as possible.
And it’s the implication that he’s going to drive her himself. Alone.
Not even a manager to spare for her? Or worse, is he a manager? An agent? Is he her superior in this role? There’s so many horrifying, stomach-churning possibilities and in the end, it doesn’t matter which he is, because the point is: he has that access.
He doesn’t need to be their manager, their agent. He has connections. He has Yui. He has his name and influence and power and money and most of all, he has dirty little secrets. So much blackmail. So much dirt.
GOD.
I’m so fucking scared for Alyssa RUN GIRL RUN GET THE FUCK OUT OF THAT ;___________;
I’ll put more thoughts in my actual 232 thought dump post but for now: Gun Kim may not have gotten a hold of Shinae, but he’s not left for want is he ;________;
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Across the ninaverse Kyle is beautiful yes ( and I his is definitely true for your lovely take on the superhero au ) but so so scary
Please don't let that ugly ass tfbw human kite suit design stay scary tho I'm begging you ☹️☹️ I'm not sorry it's so horrid I cry thinking about it even Cousin Kyle pulled it off more than they did like holy fuck IT'S SO BAD 😭😭 I have personal beef with that god damn design LIKE WTF IS THAG?? I never got the chance to fully play through tfbw after my mom DELETED IT OFF HER COMPUTER I'm still mad about that hwhdhgr but!! from what I saw I didn't mind the human kite I just stay up at night thinking about how Kyle deserved better
also!! I think it's rlly cool that it's canon the human kite is gender neutral and asexual and I wanted to hear your opinions on that and COUSIN KYLE WHEN?? 🤨🤨
( now I don't remember if I actually sent one previously about rm5 and how much I loved it I might have deleted it?? It was a dumpster fire of rambling is all I remember )
-Stan who loves Kyle but is personally traumatised from that ugly ass tfbw design 🧡 I'm actually personally offended for him they did him so wrong I'm sorry if this makes no sense this is built up anger
hi orange heart stan! :) <3
first of all, i am glad you agree! i believe in beautiful style supremacy.
i just think whereas stan is like commercially and cosmetically beautiful, like in terms of like celebrity, supermodel, break your neck looking at him on the street, boy next door pretty. (aka conventionally attractive in a way that is indisputable, i think, like That shockingly stunning...also he hates it more than anything in the world smh )
kyle is definitely a more ethereal renaissance painting, sort of elfish/fae like, looks kind of like a timeless museum statue like high cheek bones, prominent nose, pretty red hair, hes attractive in a feel like a less conventional way but is still spellbindingly beautiful as a muse...also kyle thinks hes ugly i want to die ( spef. human kite kyle )
--sorry i sat on this anon for a while, i was trying to troubleshoot what i wanted my human kite to look like in my universe! which, again, i have not played tfbw -- but i have read extensively on it because you know i try to be thorough...so if some of this is wrong it all belongs in my dystopian, sci-fi commentary on societies prejudices, fear of what they don't understand, superhero au, where canon is mostly there to provide the bones/basics and i chaotically world build around it. ;)
**also i did not know that kite!kyle was gender neutral and asexual, so i will adjust accordingly and use they/them to refer to kyle. i also have never played an asexual character, so i am interested! i am also curious whether that was a conscious choice or something to do with them being an alien ( i think...both maybe? interesting! )
also bc last time i did toolstan and kyshed, this ask is for the kyle/kite lore im working through and a lot of stankite because aw <3
but DO NOT WORRY!!!! i did scrap the original design because it's hideous. okay i'm going to drop some pinterest pictures. xx
( you how i am im sorry guys i love pinterest sm smh )
this is insane...i am apologizin in advance...
*hides* don't make fun of me omg
so obviously kyle is an alien and as such i feel like the pigment of their skin is not a natural...human color. so i was thinking about shades of the sky and i was thinking about the teal jumpsuit so i settled on blue!
so to me, in alien form, kyle has blue skin ( sort of similar to mystique in xmen i feel like...probably an interesting skin texture? ) and i think all of their freckles are actually white? so they look like little stars ;-; their entire body just looks like beautiful night sky or blue sky with tiny clouds/sun spots...theyre like a living painting.
however...they are...insecure abt it but when kite visits stan and stan likes them more and more he says theyre really beautiful <333 :') ( them and their frecks ) and that he tells his super best friend, who is anxious abt their freckles that they look like constellations but that kite really is like The Sky haha
( i think it’s funny when secret identity stan and kyle talk abt eachother in human form to kite and shed haha )
--sidebar, but i think that ky might have some sort of kite alien birthmark to represent the kite imagery, but its hidden ofc ofc
—second sidebar: i think kyles voice as kyle is very uptight and forced but as kite, his relaxed alien mothertongue is a lot more fluid/faster it has a fantastic alien dream like quality they also forget to use human words sometimes bless them stan is confused
( he’s not complaining tho whatever u say beautiful alien person w the cool pretty voice )
i also think just for the purpose of it not being too obvious who kite is in human form and just based on the reverse of kyles warm toned human skin pigment being blue i think that kyles hair in kite form is...white? i feel like they r giving celestial drow elf alien energies.
( also tech bc of the reverse pigment their cool laser eyes should be red but i kinda want them to be really bright green like wooo shiny )
but their HAIR AAAAA ( ok its curlier tho like very curly )
also yes its really pretty!!!! stan did say wowza up close skhdlkha it has soft cloud texture and feels like cotton candy...wowza indeed
as for the costume moment...to me it really reads as more of a cloak? like i'm thinking raven of team titan vibes except...weather?
like this cool cloak thing, maybe a little half leotard/jumpsuit moment for For Their Bits...do aliens have bits? yes...maybe? im crying omghs ( listen i made stan look like a birthday party stripper or like hes on the cover of a sexy men at work playboy calendar [ was it you that thought it was funy when i said shed looked like a magic mike construction worker? ]...ky can be a little scandy as a treat xx )
but!!!! in my brain, the cloak is an heirloom that was passed down thru shelia's side ( in my weird lore, i'm thinking shelia is an alien who married a nonmutated human and had kyle who is like half alien? ike is not an alien...just a human canadian boy...and nuisance. )
...and its like a sheet...of the atmosphere? or something that was like...made/woven out of the sky?? and it helps them with flight and also turns the color of whatever the sky is at the moment ( for camouflage purposes ) and is essentially weather proof, rain, sun, snow,
thunder...lightning...:/
so i think kyles one regret is that they missed stan getting struck by lightning but risked alien form flying him to the hospital, concealing him in the kyle cloak and set him on the steps of hells pass...they could have prevented it and it haunts them everyday bc stan almost didnt survive...kyle does not know it gave him powers however smh
but yes!!! half kite/atmosphere alien icon kyle!!! i hope they thrill you!!!
i think the entire broflovski family is concealing the fact that they are aliens/harboring secret aliens because its dangerous and people are REALLY racist towards aliens ( who i think fled their planets due to persecution...i dont know if this is getting too political given the current climate lmk ) and they get killed by extremist groups who...sigh...tell them to go back to their planets...their galaxies >:(
reg kyle “human cameo form” just for reference btw (if we remember) ft. kyle trying to draw what he thinks shed looks like ;-;
for ref they are like an art history/psychology major at cu
stan and kyle are roomates ouo but no they do not kiss :/....yet ;)
kyle is mad abt hiding it but for the sake of their family, keep it lowkey...that does not stop them from protesting for mutant/alien rights, going to dangerous rallies with stan ( who is shed aka mutated technically...but bc his mutation is considered "helpful" "not ugly" or scary by society...tool shed is a superhero...where as someone like kyle who is an alien and widely hated and demonized. )
i also think that kyle...might not sleep at night bc alien ? i think that they might just watch stan sleep in their dorm ( ok twilight ) or take night flights ( WHICH IS DANGEROUS SHEILA SAID NOT TO DO THAT ) and i also dont think they eat human food? or at least it doesnt nourish kyle/other aliens...and tastes really fucking bad.
i think there is some sort of underground part of the city, some sort of like dark web, undercity, black market part of denver/most major cities, where heavily mutated people, aliens, cyborgs, other species can interminge, you can buy alien life sources/energy fluid idk, chef is down there and i think has 72372329 arms and makes the alien food into fine dining...which is probably still scary but stan will eat anythin
also yes i do think kite takes stan down there once and they sit in the human-alien friendly restaurant and stan is like WowZA !! its scary but accepting down there...they also make u state ur species...and stan says human bc...his cover...but the machine picks up that he has a mutation but stans like ahaha must be broken im so normal! woops!
--sidebar abt stan...also heres pinterest toolstan again for ref :***
greasy king oh my god...hes cute tho in a snapback frat-fuckboy way
people do not know that stan is mutated, when they checked him at the hospital i think the machine...Exploded...when he was being treated for the strike...but uh RANDY IS SUPER RACIST AGAINST ALIENS AND MUTATED PEOPLE HE THINKS THEYRE ABOMINATIONS so its a secret...sharon...might know? and is protecting him from randy and people that might want him dead.
but I THINK that because stan can manip tools it works for things like...gears...engines...metal...parts of technology? so he makes the scanners and mutation check station machines go haywire or malfunction...tbh he is safe for now but he do be fuckin up smh
( but anyways! i do think that humans going down into the undercity alone is not completely safe...or at all because while a majority of aliens/mutated humans/other species are very kind and accept you for your authentic self...
...there are definitely some extremists on the other side of the coin who think ALL humans are evil and should die so...kind of dangerous to go alone...but i think stan goes down there ( either as shed or reg stan ) to pick up more alien food for kite bc he looks...faint...i think he almost dies or gets captured ripppp he is a damsel in distress )
cousin kyle!!!! oh my god so cousin kyle i guess is also a kite mutant alien then...BUT HES REALLY BAD AT BEING AN ALIEN AND HIDING IT HES BAD AT CONTROLLING HIS POWERS AND ALMOST BLOWS THEIR COVER A LOT...and whenever he comes by...kyle is basically babysitting him...bugs them abt liking stan
i do also think sometimes cousin kyle has to tag along w kyle to raccoon and friend meetings so he knows kyle is kite AND ALSO WENT WITH HUMAN KITE 2 AS A NAME? KYLE WAS MAD ASF
off topic i think alien kyle is like seven feet tall *wowza* i also think they have a tail not in a furry way let me live!!! in a badass alien way!
also...riley if ur reading this...alien form kyle is tall...but human form kyle...is short...also im making toolshed stan tall...ur welcome bestie
they also practice both judaism and kite theology ( but venturing to that church or getting caught w/ their alien torah essential is dangerous and could get you suspected as an alien and killed :( )
like u can live in society as an alien or someone with an advanced mutation but its...4x as hard to get a job, do anything, you get hatecrimed everyday...could get killed...its not worth it :////
last thing just for clarity:
i'm still working on this bear with me...its complicated ik
to me the way society divides mutations ( also i think there is a 20% percent chance people are born mutated bc of how chemically contaminated the possibly worldwide water supply is ill go into that later if people want it ) that u are accepted in society as a mutant if you have a small mutation, like a party trick, something that doesn't effect how you look but! also if you look human and have a power that you use to Save people, you're hailed as a superhero aka toolshed/fp
but racoon and friends is for like the shady odds and ends, the social pariah/outcasts who society doesnt like/dont fit in, like racoon!cartman is literally a raccoon person, mosquito i think does have a crazy pointy nose situation/maybe is some sort of bug alien...captain diabetes is medically compromised/weak...kyle is an alien...tolkien used to be racoon and friends bc he was a cyborg but realized evil was not the way...him and timmy switched over...
tldr: public perceptions in my weird tfbw universe ( wip )
humans: "good" ( ew )
humans with mutations that dont effect how you look: also good
human-mutants with strong powers that appear human/conventionally attractive: extremely good, worshipped
humans with mutations that make you look inhuman ( extra limbs, unnatural skin color, scales cysts/growths, wings, fangs, tails, ‘monstorous’/scary deformities): bad, frowned upon
aliens, cyborgs, other species in gen: V BAD, might incite violence
r&f are villians but because they are against a society that hates them and therefore lashing out in a way that started out as vigilante justice, but is now becoming Evil ( cartman i think just likes chaos )
and freedom pals is just trying to keep everyone safe and i think there are varying tolerances for the members of r&f by fp ( not bc of their mutations but bc of the atrocities committed by r&f like suspending school buses over buildings, holding civilians hostage etc. ) so when mysterion presented the idea of a merger a lot of them said hell no!! im not working with those motherfuckers!!! stan included...but after spending time w/ kite is reconsidering his stance on the merger
i also...think the undercity is a wellkept secret/people think its an evil place and dont go down there...its hard to get down there unless u know someone to protect civilians living down there..so most people think its a myth, a bad place etc. fp included but now that stan has been hes like...ITS BLOWING HIS MIND OKAY HES LEARNIN SM
sooooo basically kyle joined the villain cause bc people treat them like a villian anyways also took the name Human Kite when theyre obviously an alien just to b an asshole…luv them omg fight the power
ANYWAYS! I HOPE THAT MADE SENSE THE BOTTOM PART I AM STILL WORKING ON SHLHDSD ALSO IDK I TOOK A LOT OF LIBERTIES LMK HAHA SHSJS
-uncle nina, sweatin over my weird au again
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